Samoloty Supermarine: książki - historia i technika (2/2)

R.J. Mitchell was virtually self-taught and almost all his aircraft were slow-flying seaplanes. The story of how this man from the land-locked Midlands, apprenticed to a locomotive works, became responsible for the Spitfire is a great tale in itself.

This detailed book tells us how Mitchell learned his trade - contributing to the production of the cumbersome Nighthawk (designed to combat the German Zeppelin threat) and gradually coming to produce record-breaking racing floatplanes that won outright the prestigious international Schneider Trophy.
Mitchell was thus well placed to design a high-speed aircraft when war was imminent; however, as John K. Shelton reveals, the production of the famous fighter was by no means a certainty and its vital contribution to winning the Battle of Britain was 'a very close run thing'.

Published to mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, this book presents a fresh angle on the Spitfire by examining the contribution to its development and achievements by over 65 people, some famous, others not. Without the courage and tenacity of some leading political and military figures and the hard work of lesser-known mortals, there would have been no Spitfire, no Battle of Britain and no ultimate victory in 1945.

Many people in positions of power played their part in the ultimate success of the Spitfire, but a few staked their reputations on a radical design that brought together the best in British design, technology and ingenuity.

This book tells many significant individual stories.

Political people: Sir Winston Churchill (voice in the wilderness and wartime leader), Air Marshal Sir Wilfred Freeman (senior champion of the Spitfire in the Air Ministry), Lord Beaverbrook (Minister for Aircraft Production);

Design and development people: Reginald Mitchell (chief designer 1934a 36), Joe Smith (chief designer 1936a 47), Jeffrey Quill (test pilot), Ernest Hives (Rolls-Royce experimental head and key player in the design of the Merlin engine), Sir Stanley Hooker (mathematician and Merlin engine developer), the ladies of Vickers Supermarine at Trowbridge (factory workers);

Operational people: James 'Johnny' Johnson (highest-scoring Spitfire ace), Henry Cozens (first squadron commander), Geoffrey Wellum (youngest Battle of Britain pilot), Douglas Bader (Spitfire wing leader and inspirational disabled pilot).

Experimental people: Tony Martindale (RAE Farnborough test pilot), Eric 'Winkle' Brown (chief naval test pilot and the first man to land a Seafire on an aircraft carrier);

Heritage people: Ray Hanna (Old Flying Machine company), Carolyn Grace (the only female owner/pilot in the world), Phill O'Dell (chief test pilot at Rolls-Royce and Spitfire display pilot).

Popular history has a tendency to simplify, and accounts of the life and career of aeronautical engineer R.J. Mitchell are no exception. Remembered most fondly for his epochal Spitfire design, his other designs - many of them failures and disappointments - have largely been ignored.

As a designer for Supermarine, Mitchell produced a huge body of concepts, projects and ideas that never left the drawing board. In "Beyond the Spitfire Ralph Pegram" brings Mitchell's previously unseen work to light in an attempt to evaluate the entire portfolio of one of Britain's most talented aeronautical designers.

Illustrated with a combination of layout drawings and impressive CGI renderings of Mitchell's designs, this book is an insightful and indispensable addition to our understanding of the work of a man often called a genius.

Whenever the Spitfire is mentioned the name of its famous designer R.J. Mitchell comes to mind. However, Mitchell died in June 1937 and never saw his prototype design progress into becoming one of the most famous fighter aircraft of the Second World War.

Working under Mitchell as chief draughtsman was Joe Smith who was greatly involved with the early design of the Spitfire. After Mitchell's death, Smith first became manager of the design department, and then chief designer.

This illustrated book celebrates the inspirational and innovative work of Mitchell, Smith and their successful design team. Including first-hand accounts of members of the design team and apprentices, it reveals a little-known but pivotal figure. Smith's dedication, leadership and the part he played in the development of the Spitfire and post-war jet aircraft have largely been forgotten.